Bag-closing machine.



" EATENTEDEZDEG. 24,.19 07.f5;

.T. J. BROUGHQ 4 BAG ULOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED HAY 11.1907.

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' INVENTOR TunmAg LT. Brennan-1 UNESSES v ATTORNEYS 4 2x 0w E D D E T E A D B ,N ,I i I H H 0 MM 0 G B N T. J M G A B APPLICATION: FILED MAY 11.1907.

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ATTORNEYS- PATENTED 1330.24; 190%.

T.J.BROUGH. BAG CLOSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 11. 1907.

INVENTOH 'THEIMA 51]. HRUUGH NEE? ATTORNEYS" 7 PATENTED DEC. 24, 1907.

T. J. BROUGH.

BAG CLOSING MACHINE,

APPLICATION TILED MAY 11.1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

H G w R. fl E m m B y ATTORNEYS? THOMAS JAMES BROUGH, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

BAG-CLOSING MACHINE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS JAMES BROUGH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented an Improved Bag-Closing Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved machine for closing or tying the mouths of paper and other bags filled with tea or other commodities put up for sale in small quantities. The closure is effected by means of flexible wire which is passed around and compressed and clampedupon the gathered mouth of a bag, the wire being fed automatically and intermittently as required, and the portion applied to the bag being severed at the proper time.

The details of construction, arrangement, and operation of parts are as hereinafter de scribed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whicl Figure 1 is a side view of the machine, a portion being broken away to illustrate certain details. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal and yertical section of the central portion of the machine showing particularly the means for bending and clamping the wire upon a bag. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the knife or cutter for severing the wire. Fig. 7 is a section showing substantially the same parts as Fig. 5 but illustrating a further step in the operation of bending the wire and clamping it upon a bag. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section (looking upward) on the line 88 of Fig. 1. vertical section on the line 99 of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a plan View of the friction wire-feed apparatus.

The working parts of the machine are a plied to, or suspended from, a horizontal p atform, or table, 1, which may be su ported bylegs 2, or any other suitabl means. A double crank-shaft 3 is journaled in the lower ends of hangers 4, see Figs.1 and 2, which are pendent from one end of the platform 1. This shaft maybe driven by hand or power, as preferred, or as found expedient. From it the required movements are imparted to all the other movable portions of the machine. The wire as, by which a bag closure is eflected, is

$pecifieation of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 11. 1907. erial No. 373,181.

Fig. 9 is a Patented Dec. 24:, 190?.

1 fed intermittently by means of friction rollers 5, 5, which, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 10, are arranged side by side and provided with meshing gears 6, the same being mounted on axles 7, which are connected by spiral springs S, and have their bearings in vertical supports 9 attached to a horizontal bar 10, that con nects the lower portions of the legs 2. It is obvious the springs 8 hold the feed-rolls 5 infirm contact with the wire as, and that,

rotated also. The required rotation for feeding the wire a; intermittently is effected by a bar or rod 11, which is operatively connected with the crank shaft 3, its free end legs 2-, and provided with pivoted dogs or pawls 12, which engage the gears 6 but are pointed in opposite directions. Thus, when the bar or rod 11 is reciprocated, one of the pawls will rotate one of the gears and thereby effect the rotation of both feed rolls 5, while the other pawl will drag on the opposite gear. The bar 11 is pivoted to a lever 13, see Fig. 1, journaled on a.trans verse rod 14 fixed in the middle portions of the hangers 4. The forked lower end of said lever straddles a crank of shaft 3. To the upper end of this lever 13 is pivoted a pawl rod 15, see Figs. 1 and 8, which engages a ratchet wheel 16 mounted upon a wire guide 17, see also Fig. 5. The latter in the table or. platform. 1 and its upper end being flush with the latter. it is apparent that as the crank shaft 3 is rotated, the forked lever 13 will be oscillated and thus not only impart intermittent feed to the wire :1; but also impart intermittent rotation to the guide 17 through the medium of thepawl and ratchet l5 and 16. The object of rotating the guide 17 is as follows. The Wire at passes from said guide into a curved former 18, which is formed atthe end of a block 19 secured upon the platform or table 1, but spaced therefrom sufficiently to permit the insertion and'oper ation of a wire cutter 20. This cutter coacts with the top or head of the Wire guide 17, which, if held constantly in one position without rotation, would become degree upset; whereas, by the constant intermittent rotation of the guide, the wear is made uniform and the knife or cutter when. one is rotated, the other is necessarily being supported in a guide on one of the is atube extending tlnougn a suitable bore worn and the metal would be to a certain the cranks of the shaft 3.

thus acts in the most efi'ective manner in severing the wire. it will thus be seen that the part 17 ,subserves two purposes in the operation of the machine. The cutter 20 lies flat upon the table and is provided with a lengthwise slot 21, see Fig. 4, and through said slot passes a bolt 22. The cutter is connected by a slotted lug 23, see Fig. 1, with a lever 24, whose lower end is pivoted on a cross-rod 25,'see Fig. 3, and which is oscillatedin a vertical plane by a rod 26 that connects it with a forked lever 13 pivoted,likethe lever 13, on the cross rod 4, and forked at its lower end for connection with one of The upper end of said lever extends through a slot in the platform or table 1, see Fig. 4, and is pivoted to a wire-clamping bar 28 arranged horizontally on the table and adapted to slide in a keeper 29. The inner or free end .of the bar 28 is opposite the curved former 18, before referred to, and by its coaction with such former constitutes an essential factor in the operation of bending and clamping the wire around the mouth of the bag.

As shown in Fig. 5 and 7 the wire-bending and-clamping bar 28 is supported near its free end upon a set-screw 28, which passes up through the table 1. This device serves as a means for raising and lowering the bar 28 and thus adjusting it gxactly as required for the most effective coaction with the former 18. v

As the wire is fed or advanced by the rolls 5 through the rotating guide and die 17, it passes up within the curved former 18, as shown in Fig.- 5, and is gradually bent or curved as there indicated, its free end coming finally in contact with a shoulder of the former. The bag whose mouth is to be closed'is laid by hand upon the platform or table 1 and in the position indicated by dotted lines Fig. 4, with the mouth of the same gathered and inserted within the former 18.

Thus-the wire in the position shown has already passed more than half of the distance required, to encircle the mouth of the bag. The coacting bar 28 now advances and by means of a spring arm 30 attached to l and standing above its free end, a pusher, or

sliding bolt, 31 arranged vertically in guide 18, see Figs. 5, 7 is forced down so that the free end'of the wire is bent downward, and, being simultaneously further advanced, it passes around the mouth of the bag, and the bar 28, still advancinggit is clamped on the bag'and thus closes the mouth of the same. In Fig. 5 the first stage of the operation is illustrated, andin Fig. '7,= the latter or succeeding stage. The pusher-31 is shown normally supported by aspring 32 and is provided witha rounded and enlarged head, upon which the spring arm 30 rides up as engage the ratchet 42.

shown. The cutter 2O advances almost simultaneously and severs the portion of the wire which has been thus applied to the bag. Practically at the same time, cutters 33 and 34, see Figs. 1 and4, are advanced for cutting off the surplus projection or portion of the bag extending beyond the closure. These cutters 'consist of elongated blades which are arranged in guides 19 and 29 respectively, their inner ends being beveled and otherwise so constructed as to act with the best effect on the bag mouth and also to pass each other in the cutting operation.

As shown, the cutter 34 is forked at its cutting end, while the other is slightly inclined. The cutter 33 is reciprocated by the connection effected bypendent arm 35, see

Fig. 1, and a rod 36, whose left end 'is pivoted to a lug formed on the forked lever 13. The other cutter 34 is also reciprocated through its connection with said lever 13, which con nection' is established see Fig. 1by rod 37 and the vertical lever 38, the latterbeing pivoted-on a lug 39, and its upper end having a slot 40 that receives a pin on the cutter 34. Thus as the crank shaft 3 rotates, the lever 13 is oscillated, and thereby reciprocates cutters 33 and 34 simultaneously, and in opposite directions. Itis necessary in or der to utilize the whole cutting edge of cutter 20, or avoid cutting always at one point, that the cutter shall be oscillated or shifted laterally, and for this purpose I employ the following mechanism. A rod 37"*-s ee Figs. 4 and 6i-s arranged in a transverselOO slot in the table 1, and attached to alever 38 pivoted to table at 39. This lever 38 is operatively connected by a slotted bar 40 with a can forming an attachment of a horizontal ratchet wheel 42. His obvious that the rotation of the ratchet and con sequent rotation of the cam 41 will impart oscillation to the lever 38 and thereb reciprocate the bar 37*, which, in turn, w 1 move the cutter 20 on the pivot 22 in such manner as to constantly shift the cutting point from one side of the cutting edge to the other, and reversely. For thus rotating the ratchet 42 I employ means connected with the lever 24 ,see Fig. 1. Such means consist of an elbow lever 43 pivoted at 44 on an arm or bar 45, pendent from the table, and one arm of thesame being connected by a rod 46 with the lever. 24, while the other or shorter arm of the lever is connected by a rod 47 with a slidable bar 48, see Fig. 4, thelatter being provided with a pawl or dog 49, adapted to It is obvious that the reciprocation of the bar 48 will impart intermittent rotation to the ratchet and therebyto the cam as before described. A spring dog 50 is applied to the ratchet to prevent'lts backward rotation.

I claim- 1. The combination with a table, an intebeneath the said former, and means for.ad-

vancing it for severing the wire after the same has been applied to the bag for closing it, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a former and means for advancing the wire thereinto, of a movable device for compressing the wire upon the mouth of a bag, a wire cutter app ied beneath the former, means for reciprocating the cutter, and means for shifting the same laterally for distributing the wear on the' cutting edge, substantially as described. 3. The combination with a former and means for feeding a wire thereinto and compressing it as described, of a wire cutter and means for reciprocating it, a ratchet-andcam mechanism operatively connected with the beveled end of the cutter, whereby it is moved intermittently laterally while being Ireciprocated, substantially as described.

4 The combination with means for feeding and bending and clamping a wire upon the mouth of a bag, of a .cutter adapted to reciprocate and work in contact with the projecting end of the bag, and means for imparting movement thereto, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a former and means for advancing a wire thereinto and clamping it upon a bag, of reciprocating cutters arranged horizontally opposite each other and means for reciprocating the same whereby they are advanced simultaneously in opposite directions for severin the projecting end of a bag, substantia y as de scribed.

' nected and adapted to operate, substantially as described.

7.- The combination with means for curving and clamping a wire upon a bag, of a wire guide and die having a central bore through which the wire is fed, means for imparting rotation to such guide, and a reciprocating cutter adapted-to coact with the upper end of the guide for severing a wire in the manner described. a

8. The combination with means for applying a wire to-the mouth of a'bag and clam ing it thereon, of means for advancing t e wire, a rotatable guide through which the same passes, lever and pawl and ratchet mechanism for imparting rotation to said guide, and a cutter adapted to coact with theguide for severing the portion of the wire applied to a bag, as shown and described.

9; The combination with means for feeding a wire and clamping it upon the mouth of a bag, of a rotatable guide and die through which the wire is fed and a cutter adapted to slide over the head of said guide and die, and

meansfor rotating the latter, substantially as described.

10. ,The combination with means 'for bending and clamping a wire upon the mouth of a bag, of means for advancing such wire, the same comprising friction rolls arranged opposite each other and provided with meshing gears, and a' double-pawl feed .con- 'sisting of a slidable bar having pawls projecting in opposite directions and ada ted for engaging and sliding over the gears a ter nately, and means for reciprocating the feed, substantially as described.

11. The combination. with means for applying a wire to a bag, of means for feedin rolls arranged o posite and provided with meshing ears, s otted bearings for the axes of the rol s, s rings a lied to the axes and serving to ho dthe ro ll s and gears normally in contact, and means for imparting rotation to the rolls, substantially as described.

12. The combination with means for feeding a wire. and curving the free end of the- THOMAS JAMES BROUGH.

Witnesses:

DAN. BRIDE, ROBT. B. WIGKER.

i such wire, the same comprising two cylindrica I 

